On Feb. 25, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and NACE (National Association of County Engineers) presented a webinar titled "Stimulus Program 101: Making It Work for States and Locals." It is now available for replay at
https://admin.na3.acrobat.com/_a55098539/p27746479 (registration is required to view).
A similar version of the presentation was given March 4 for LTAP and members of APWA. It is available at http://fhwa.na3.acrobat.com/p67913180.
March 19, 2009
March 6, 2009
President Obama Signs American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into Law
On February 17, President Barack Obama signed into law the $789 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. On February 13, after a relatively short Conference Committee, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate cleared the bill for the President’s signature. The bill provides investments in infrastructure, health, education and energy, as well as more than $280 billion in tax cuts. The legislation also contains no earmarks and establishes oversight and accountability mechanisms. The following is an overview of several key funding highlights included in the bill:
Transportation
Transportation
Transportation - $1.5 billion for an intermodal discretionary grant programEnvironment and Water
Highways -$27.5 billion
Transit - $8.4 billion
Rail - $9.3 billion (including $1.3 billion for Amtrak)
Airports - $1.1 billion for the Airport Improvement Program
$4 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
$2 billion for the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund
$4.6 billion for US Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Projects
$1 billion for US Bureau of Reclamation Rural Water Projects
$1.38 billion for Rural Water & Waste Disposal Program
$6 billion for Superfund
$1 billion for Brownfields
$3.2 billion for Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program
$3 billion for Diesel Emission Reduction Act Grants
Senate Passes Stimulus Legislation, 61-37
On Tuesday, February 10, the United States Senate passed an $838 billion economic recovery bill (H.R.1), The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, by a 61-37 vote. The Senate approved the legislation after adopting a crucial compromise amendment crafted by the only Republicans to vote in favor of the stimulus bill, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Arlen Specter (R-PA). The amendment slashed $108 billion from the legislation which had at one point ballooned to over $900 billion.
Funding levels for transportation, infrastructure and water resources remained largely unchanged in the reworked legislation. The House passed its own $819 billion version on January 28, by a 244-188 vote. The following are funding highlights for key infrastructure programs in both bills:
HOUSE:
With a self-imposed deadline of February 16, for sending a final bill to be signed by the President, House and Senate negotiators have a lot of work ahead of them to reach an agreement. The negotiation process must ensure that any changes maintain the support of at least 60 Senate votes for final approval before the bill can be cleared for the President’s signature.
Funding levels for transportation, infrastructure and water resources remained largely unchanged in the reworked legislation. The House passed its own $819 billion version on January 28, by a 244-188 vote. The following are funding highlights for key infrastructure programs in both bills:
HOUSE:
• $30 billion for highwaysSENATE:
• $12 billion for transit
• $6 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Fund
• $2 billion for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
• $27 billion for highwaysThe next step in the process will be for House and Senate negotiators to meet and reconcile the differences between the two bills. At press time it was still unclear whether a formal conference committee would take place.
• $8.4 billion for transit
• $4 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Fund
• $2 billion for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
With a self-imposed deadline of February 16, for sending a final bill to be signed by the President, House and Senate negotiators have a lot of work ahead of them to reach an agreement. The negotiation process must ensure that any changes maintain the support of at least 60 Senate votes for final approval before the bill can be cleared for the President’s signature.
Senate Democrats Unveil Their Economic Recovery Package
On January 23, the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance released highlights of their version of an economic recovery package, S.1, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Like the House bill, H.R. 1, the Senate legislation totals $825 billion.
The Senate bill allocates a total of $140 billion for Infrastructure and Science. Highlights of the infrastructure component include $27 billion for highways; $1.3 billion for aviation; and $6 billion for both the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. The House version of the bill allocates $90 billion in their infrastructure component. $30 billion is set aside for highways; $3 billion for aviation; $6 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and $2 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus (D-MT) unveiled an original Chairman’s Mark -- the initial bill set out by the chairman for debate -- that included tax-cutting provisions for the recovery legislation. These provisions mirror the finance portion of its counterpart in the House. Baucus’ Mark includes $275 billion in tax cuts and investments. Together, the spending proposals (which include the infrastructure component) in the Senate Appropriations bill and the tax cuts in the Finance Committee measure, make up the Senate’s version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Senate Committees are expected to meet this week to debate and vote on their version of the economic recovery bill. The House is scheduled to vote on the bill Wednesday, January 28 and debate by the full Senate on the bill could be held as early as February 3. House and Senate negotiators would then meet to work out the differences in their respective bills.
APWA will continue to monitor this legislation. For updates and more information please visit APWA’s Advocacy page at www.apwa.net/Advocacy.
The Senate bill allocates a total of $140 billion for Infrastructure and Science. Highlights of the infrastructure component include $27 billion for highways; $1.3 billion for aviation; and $6 billion for both the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. The House version of the bill allocates $90 billion in their infrastructure component. $30 billion is set aside for highways; $3 billion for aviation; $6 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and $2 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus (D-MT) unveiled an original Chairman’s Mark -- the initial bill set out by the chairman for debate -- that included tax-cutting provisions for the recovery legislation. These provisions mirror the finance portion of its counterpart in the House. Baucus’ Mark includes $275 billion in tax cuts and investments. Together, the spending proposals (which include the infrastructure component) in the Senate Appropriations bill and the tax cuts in the Finance Committee measure, make up the Senate’s version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Senate Committees are expected to meet this week to debate and vote on their version of the economic recovery bill. The House is scheduled to vote on the bill Wednesday, January 28 and debate by the full Senate on the bill could be held as early as February 3. House and Senate negotiators would then meet to work out the differences in their respective bills.
APWA will continue to monitor this legislation. For updates and more information please visit APWA’s Advocacy page at www.apwa.net/Advocacy.
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